Feeler mechanism for looms



l. SNOW.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

L JUL 1,369,482, Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

SHEETS-SHEET l- Inv-en 1: 02:

SNOW. FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31,1920.

Patented Feb n /r 01. r H n a w .4 H A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC SNOW, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER CORPORATION, OF HOZPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'Feb. 22, 1921.

Application filed July 31, 1920. Serial No. 400,450.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC Snow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Fecler Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts. 7

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms wherebyreplenishment of filling is effected, or the operative condition of the loom changed prior to the complete exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle.

A fee-lei mechanism should be sensitive either to the presence or substantial absence of the filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat. Should it'fail in either of these re spocts, it will cause unnecessary and undesirable waste or defective cloth. Should the teeler mechanism indicate substantial ex-- haustion of filling when a working supply of filling still remains on the filling carrier or bobbin in the shuttle, an undesirable waste occurs, because the filling still remaining on the filling carrier or bobbin when it is ejected from the shuttle, constitutes waste. On the other hand, should the feeler mechanism fail to indicate substantial exhaustion of filling on a detecting beat when the filling is substantially exhausted, either a partial pick or a vacant pick will result, with consequent defective cloth.

Among the various forms of feeler mech anisms heretofore suggested, is the type known as the side swipe feeler mechanisms, wherein the feeler moves or slides along the bobbin or filling carrier longitudinally thereof when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat. In this type of mechanism the side swipe movement of the feeler longitudinally of the filling carrier is utilized to call the change. I he present invention is moreespecially directed to the side swipe type of feeler mechanism, but in some respects certain features of the invention may be employed in other types of feeler mechanisms.

The invention is herein shown as asso :iated with a feeler mechanism wherein the tester mounted to enter the shuttle on a detecting beat in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, generally similar in this broad respect to the patent to Edward S. Stimpson, No. 1,309,226, dated July 8, 1919. In the inclined type of side swipe feeler mechanisms the 'frontward pressure against the engaging end of the feeler, causes the feeler to move longitudinally along the filling carrier or bobbin when the filling is substantially exhausted on at detecting beat, The inclined position of the feeler and the degree of such inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle or path of lay movement, will determine the eifectiveness of the frontward pressure in this respect. After the engaging end of the feeler has engaged a surface within the shuttle on a detecting beat, it is desirable that the inclination of the feeler to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle or path of lay movement be increased as the feeler is moved frontwardly. An important feature of the present invention, therefore, consists in a feeler mechanism for looms wherein the angular relation of the feeler to the longitudinal axis of the filling carrier or shuttle is changed as the feeler is moved front-wardly under the frontward pressure of the surface within the shuttle. In changing the angular relation of the feeler to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, the present invention contemplates moving the front portion of the feeler laterally as the feeler is moved frontwardly, and to effect such lateral movement by a rack and pinion means operated by frontward movement of the feeler.

v Other features of the invention and novel combination of parts will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings which show one good practical form of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the feeler side of a loom showing more particularly the feeler mechanism and the associated parts;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view, parts broken away, showing the action of. the

'feeler mechanism when a working supply 0! filling presentin the shuttle on. a detect ingbu Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the action of parts when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat;

Fig. 4'is a detached detail showing the spring holding arm; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

The replenishing mechanism is not herein shown, because it may be of any usual or desired type, and further because the invention pertains more particularly to the feeler mechanism. Mounted on the loom frame 1 is a bracket 2, one at each side of the loom, and in which is mounted the transverse or rock shaft 3. Secured to and rising from the rock shaft is the arm 4 having pivotally connected to at 5 the latch .6, the rear end portion? of which is adapted at times to be engaged by an operating member 8. The operating member 8 may be an appropriate going part of the loom, and is herein illustrated as a part connected to or movable with the cam follower. The rear end portion 7 of the latch 6 is preferably connected to the main portion by a pivot pin 9, and the rear portion 7 is overweighted so that the rear end portion 7 normally is positioned below the engaging por tion of the operating member 8. This is the usual form of latch mechanism of which there are several types, any one of which may be advantageously employed according to conditions of use.

In the present instance, the rear end portion 7 of the latch has a finger 10 which overlies one arm 11 of a bell-crank pivotally mounted at 12 upon a support 13 secured to the loom frame, in the present instance, by means ot a bolt 14 passing through a lug l5 and the support '13. The lower arm 16 of the bell-crank is connected to a transmitter 1'7, the construction being such that when the transmitter 17 is moved endwise, in the of the bolts 22 which permit adjustment of the feeler stand on the supporting bracket as usual in 'teeler mechanisms.

Mounted on the feeler' stand is the feeler which, in the present instance, is shown as supported to enter the shuttle in a direction nclined to the longitudinal axis of the iously contrived.

the filling carrier or bobbin when filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat. The feeler 23 has a toothed end portion 24 which is adapted to enter the shuttle and feel for the filling. The lay 25 has the usual shuttle box 26 to receive the shuttle 27 in which is mounted the filling carrier or bobbin 28. The front wall of the shuttle box is slotted at 29, and the adjacent wall of the shuttle is slotted. at 30 so that when the shuttle is in the detecting shuttle box, the feeler may enter the'slots 29 and and feel for the filling in the shuttle.

The present invention contemplates that when the feeler is displaced frontwardly on a detecting beat, that its angular relation to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle may he changed, and where the feelers are of the inclined type, this angular change of relation of the teeler to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle is effected by increasing the angularity of the feeler.

The feeler 23 is provided with a series of teeth 31 which constitute a rack. These teeth may be appropriately formed on the down-turned edge flange of the feeler, asindicated in Fig. 1, although they may be otherwise contrived. The feeler stand 20 is likewise provided with a series of teeth 32 which constitute a fixed rack. The teeth 32 may be appropriately-formed on an angu lar piece 33 and secured to the front portion of the feeler stand, although in this respect the fixed or stationary rack may be var- Between the feeler rack and the fixed rack is a toothed wheel or pinion 34, the teeth of which engage the the feeler is moved frontwardly on a detecting beat, the feeler rack teeth 31 will cause the pinion 34 150 rotate, and as it is in. operative engagementwith the teeth 32 of the fixed rack, it will move the front end portion of the feeler laterally as the ieeler moves frontwardly, and thereby change the angular relation of the feeler to the path of lay movement, orto the longitudinal axis of the shuttle on each detecting beat. 1 r

The pinion 34 is mounted upon a stud 35 which passes loosely through a slot 36 extendinglongitudinally of the feeler, and at its lower portion the stud 35 enters a slide 37 (Fig. 5) to which it is secured by a washer 38 and a head'39 formed on the stud 35. lnterposed between the toothed wheel or pinion 34 and the slide 37 is a washer or spacing piece '40. The slide 37 is fitted for movement transversely of the feeler stand in a guideway 1 which may be con veniently formed as a slot extending transversely of the feeler stand 20. The construction is such that as the 'feeler is moved frontwardl'y on. a detecting beat and rotates the toothed wheel or pinion 34, the

toothed Wheel or pinion will travel along the fixed rack by virtue of its engagement with the teeth 32, and wil be directed in its movement by the transverse slot 41 of the feeler stand, the effect being that on each detecting beat the front end portion of the feeler will be moved laterally to change the angular relation of the feeler to the path of lay movement, or in case as of the inclined type, increase its inclination to the path of lay movement.

The teeth of the toothed wheel or pinion 3% may be formed partially about the pe riphery of the pinion, in which case the shoulder 42 may constitute a stop by contacting with one of the teeth 32 of the fixed rack to define the normal position of the front end of the feeler when the feeler is in normal feeling position.

The toothed wheel or pinion 8 lmay be connected to the feeler for permissive movement of the feeler frontwardly relative to the pinion in any approved manner, and in the present instance, a cap 43 is provided upon the stud 35 (Figs. 1. and 5) to assist in holding the parts in operative relation, as will be readily understood.

The feeler is normally under the influence of a spring l4 which acts to move the feeler in its normal feeling position. In the present instance, the spring 44 has one end 45 connected to any one of a series of openings or pins 46 formed in the feeler, and the other end 17 of the spring may be connected to any one of a series of openings 48 formed in the frontwardly extending arm 49 carried by the feeler stand. In the present instance, the arm 49 has a lateral portion 50 and a frontwardly extending portion 51, the edge 52 of which may constitute a stop to be engaged by one of the teeth 31 formed on the downwardly extending flange of the feeler 23, to thereby position the rear end of the feeler under the yielding action of the spring-l4.

V] hen a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat as indicated in Fig. 2, the toothed engaging end 24 of the feeler will engage the filling, and as the lay beats up, the feeler will be moved frontwardly. As the feeler is moved frontwardly, as described, the feeler rack teeth 31 will rotate the toothed wheel or pinion 34, which, being engaged with the teeth of the fixed rack 32, will be moved laterally of the feeler stand and change the angular relation of the feeler to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, or path of lay movement. This change in the angularity of the feeler imparts increased sensitiveness of the feeler to either the presence or substantial absence of the filling in the shuttle. When the teeth 24 engage the filling and a working supply is present, they have time to sink into the filling before the inclination of the feeler is materially changed, and consequently hold the feeler from movement longitudinally of the shuttle along the filling carrier, even though the inclination of the feeler be increased as the lay heats up. hen, however, the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, the end of the fceler will no longer be held by the filling from movement along the filling carrier as the lay beats up, and should the toothed end of the feeler fail to respond to the force tending to move it along the filling carrier, the increased inclination imparted to the feeler as the lay beats up will overcome this hesitation, and cause the feeler to move longitudinally of the shuttle as the lay moves frontwardly.

The'longitudinal movement thus imparted to the feeler is utilized through the transmitter 17 to effect replenishment of filling, and to this end. the transmitter 17 has one of its ends 53 connected to the feeler by suitable means, as for instance, turning the end 17 through a hole in the fecler as indicated. 7

What is claimed is r 1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler supported to enter theshuttle in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle and movable in direction inclined to the path of the lay, but held from movement longitudinally along the filling carrier by the filling on a detecting beat until substantial exhaustion thereof, and a rackand pinion constructed and arranged to move the front portion of the feeler laterally as the feeler is moved frontwardly.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler supported to enter the shuttle in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle and movable in a direction inclined to the path of the lay, but held from movement longitudinally along the filling carrier by the filling on a detecting beat until substantial exhaustion thereof, and a rack and pinion constructed and arranged to change the inclination of the feeler as it moves frontwardly on each detecting beat.

'3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler that is supported on the stand to enter the shuttle in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, and a rack and pinion, one carried by the feeler and the other by the feeler stand, constructed and arranged to change the inclination of the feeler as it is moved frontwardly on a detecting beat.

4. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler that is supported on the stand to enter the shuttle in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, a spring that acts laterally upon the feeler and also in a rearward direction, and a rack and pinion, one carried by the feeler and the other by the feeler and connections between the feeler and pin- 'ion for rotating the latter and moving the feeler laterally as the feeler is moved frontwardly on a detecting beat. 4

6. A feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, in combination, a feeler stand, a rack carried by the feeler and a rack carried by the feeler stand, apinion engaging both racks and rotated by the feeler rack as the feeler moves frontwardly for changing the inclination of the feeler relative to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle on a detecting beat.

'7. A feeler mechanism for looms,'comprising, in combination, a feeler carrying a rack which is movable with the feeler, a stationary rack, and a toothed wheel engaging both racks and rotated by the frontward movement of the feeler for causing the feeler to be moved laterally as it is moved frontwardly.

8. A feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, in combination, a feeler carrying a rack which is movable with the feeler, a stationary rack extending in a direction at an angle to the rack on the feeler, and a toothed Wheel engaging both racks and rotated by the frontward movement of the feeler for causing the feeler to be moved laterally as it is moved frontwardly.

9. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a rack carried by the feeler, a relatively stationary rack, a pinioli engaging both racks and rotated by the feeler rack as the feeler moves frontwardly, and connections between the pinion and feeler constructed and arranged to incline the feeler relative to its normal feeling position as it is moved frontwardly.

10. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom and in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, a rack that is movable with the feeler, a toothed wheel which is rotated by the said rack as the feeler is moved frontwardly, a fixed rack engaged by the toothed wheel, and connections between the toothed wheel and feeler which effects lateral movement to the feeler as it is moved frontwardly on a detect- 6 ing beat. r

11. In a feeler mechanism for looms, thei, combination of a feeler, a rack movable with the feeler, a pinion which is rotated by the rack as the feeler is moved frontwardly, a fixed rack along which the pinion travels as it is rotated, a guide for directing the travel of the pinion, and connections betweenthe feeler and pinion for causing the feeler to be moved by the pinion as it travels along the fixed rack. V

12. A feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, in combination, a feeler stand provided with a toothed rack, a feeler provided with a toothed wheel which engages the toothed rack, and means for causing frontward movement of the feeler to rotate the toothed wheel and effect a change in theangular relation between the feeler and path of movement of the lay on a detecting beat.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

' Isaac SNOW. 

